The New Aging Enterprise - aarp

RetirementJobs, along with other older worker job sites, seems well-positioned to
capitalize on this major shift in the labor force, both in America and around the world. A report
from the global consultancy firm Towers Perrin in 2007 has projected that, by 2016, 39% of the
population in the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations will be aged 50 or more compared
with 30% in 1996. During the same period, the proportion of the labor force in the traditional
working age—15-49 years—is expected to fall from 51% in 1996 to 45% in 2016. In the USA,
the same trend is visible. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that
in 2000, 13% of the work force was over 55, but by 2010, the proportion is likely to rise to 17%.
As noted, among aging Boomers themselves, nearly seven out of 10 tell AARP that they plan to
work in some capacity in retirement.
Idealist.Org is a web portal created 1995 by the international nonprofit group “Action
Without Borders.” Idealist.org serves as a web-based channel for those interested in nonprofit
organizations, issues, and careers, and specifically acts as a clearinghouse for paid employment
and volunteer activities in the nonprofit world. Action Without Borders has a mission to connect
people, organizations, and resources in order to “help build a world where all people can live free
and dignified lives.” The organization’s methods have evolved over the years but the core focus
has been on providing a meeting point for individuals and organizations seeking to improve their
communities on both a local and global level.
In earlier years, the group was called the “Contact Center Network” and focused on
creating contact centers in local community sites. The idea was to create a physical meeting
place where people could post messages, connect with neighbors, and share ideas for local
action. In effect, such Contact Centers would be vehicles for promoting “social capital” along
the lines outlined by Robert Putnam. 76 During the 1990s, the World Wide Web began to grow in
scale and importance, so, in 1995, Action Without Borders relaunched the contact center
approach as Idealist.org. The plan was to enable nonprofit groups to present a free
organizational profile on the website and encourage contact. Organizations were also able to
post openings for jobs and volunteer positions, while individuals could search the site and learn
of job opportunities or share interests with others. Idealist also established a Nonprofit Career
Center, featuring interviews with nonprofit leaders and offering career guidance about working
in the sector.
By 1999, more than 20,000 people were receiving Idealist daily email alerts, and more
organizations were signing up. To support its work, Idealist began charging USA-based
organizations a $40 fee for job postings, departing from the free listing practice up until that
point. The result was an ongoing revenue stream enabling Idealist to enhance its programs and
still keep most services free of charge. Although they did not intend to become known as a
nonprofit jobs site, that is exactly what happened, and Idealist has gone on to become the most
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